


La noche de San Juan (Saint John's night)

by evelitan



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Happy Ending, Jace is a bit of an ass (sorry), M/M, beach, might do a part 2, night with friends, slight angst, some drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:08:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23019067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evelitan/pseuds/evelitan
Summary: It's the night of Saint John and the group of friends decides to go to the beach. Clary and Jace are trying to navigate the awkwardness between them after their breakup, Magnus and Alec are adorable and everyone has fun... until Jace shares an embarrassing secret about Clary that could potentially end her and Izzy's friendship.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Isabelle Lightwood, Isabelle Lightwood/Meliorn (mentioned), Lydia Branwell/Jace Wayland, MAINLY Clary/Izzy, Magnus Bane & Everyone, Magnus Bane & Raphael Santiago, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago, past Camille Belcourt/Raphael Santiago, past Jace/Clary - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 43





	La noche de San Juan (Saint John's night)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! Agh I can't stop writing about this pairing and I have no idea why it suddenly became my favorite again, anyhow I decided to write this one-shot fic because I love Saint John's night and it's always fun. For those who don't know what it is, this year it's the night of the 23rd of June and you have to go to the beach at night and jump over a fire 9 times, then jump 9 waves facing backward at the sea. All this brings you luck and fortune, and usually, you meet plenty of people and make new friends but since I have no idea if that is very typical in NY (although I suspect not) let's just pretend that in this fic the beach isn't full with people. I appreciate and thank you for each kudos or comment (if you feel inspired and decide to write one). Enjoy!

Izzy loved Saint John's Eve, ever since she was a kid, that was one of the highlights of her summers and even though it got much more pleasurable as she grew up, her love for this particular night of the year was deeply rooted in her childhood. Her brother and she would always find a way to sneak to the beach, mingle with the mundanes, much to Alec’s annoyance, and even built their first bonfire when they were fifteen.

The weather was always great at the end of July, Izzy could remember even the slightly chilly breeze that would appear at some point long after midnight but usually snuggling up to her brothers did the trick.

This year, however, things were a bit… awkward at times. For starters, Alec and Magnus were finally dating and they were ridiculously cute together, Simon had finally gotten the courage to ask Raphael out and they seemed to have hit it off rather well judging by their sappy smiles and even Lydia had decided to accept Jace’s invite and join them.

And here it seemed, laid the problem, Jace and Clary had just broken up a couple of weeks ago and that had been like an atomic bomb explosion. At first, the pair couldn’t look at each other without entering into another screaming match and that had made their group gatherings somewhat awkward for their friends, so Clary and Jace decided to just pretend that they were never together. Truth be told after the whole _are we or are we not bother and sister_ situation, things changed drastically between them, their feelings mainly.

After one particularly loud argument where Izzy and Alec had to intervene because all the shouting was starting to attract the attention of other Shadowhunters in the Institute, the silence came and settled between the redhead and the blonde boy. Charged, uncomfortable and awkward silence whenever Jace and Clary were around each other, they had both refused to talk about why they had split up and so far, his siblings had respected their wish, except it was starting to get really annoying.

All that drama was beginning to become too much even for Magnus and _that_ was saying something, the man had lived through the age of the Pharaohs for Angel’s sake!

They had already jumped over the three waves at midnight, just like tradition dictated and now Izzy made her way to where Clary was sitting, looking at the sky.

" _Hola preciosa_." - Clary heard Izzy's voice caressing her ear and momentarily after that a pair of hands hugging her from behind the other girl sat down.

"You have been awfully quiet lately, what's going on?" - Izzy asked, letting her head settle on Clary's bare shoulder.

Both their skins were sticky from the salty breeze that danced around the sea but neither seemed to mind the hug at the moment.

That's another thing about them, usually, Clary kept her distance around people but Izzy... always had a way of making Clary lower her defenses for her, from the first day they saw each other in fact. The redhead was incapable of pulling away from Izzy's touch simply because she didn't want to pull away, she enjoyed the warmth and the comfort Isabelle's touch provided. No matter how shitty her day had been, Izzy could make it instantly better with just a smile or a hug, keeping her distance from her lately was making Clary irritable and sad.

"Nothing, Iz. I'm fine." - She said, leaning her head resting it on Isabelle's. There were very few things better than sitting with Izzy on a beach at night under the starry skies.

"Wanna try that again? I'm not buying it." - Izzy insisted, Clary could be as stubborn as a mule sometimes and if Izzy had thought it was something minor, she wouldn't have pushed.

"Look, I know things have been weird since you and Jace broke up, that's the first time you guys are together without actually being "together " and neither of you did tell us what happened." - Izzy

spoke gently, continuing to hold Clary in her arms, both girls looking at the expanse of dark waves crashing before them.

"I even threatened Alec with making him breakfast the other day." - Izzy said with a small laugh that Clary returned. _By the angel, I love making that girl laugh_ \- thought Izzy.

"Someday, they'll discover how good you can actually cook and you'll be in charge of Sunday meals for years to come." - Clary said with another small giggle.

"Good attempt at distraction Fray, but I only ever cook for you so if one day they find out, I'd know who to hunt down... Now, are you going to tell me what's obviously troubling you?" - Izzy asked again but this time she pushed back a little bit, urging Clary to look at her.

"We've been friends before you and Jace got together and even though he's my brother and I love him, I'm still here for you. I'll always be." - Izzy said and had Clary been brave she'd have kissed her right then and there and to hell with everyone around them.

But alas, Clary was never brave when it came to opening up, it had taken Simon years to know what Clary's middle name was.

Taking a deep breath and looking around her she could see all of their friends having split up into couples now. Magnus and Alec had stayed closer to the fire and were now talking quietly, looking at each other with wide eyes and big smiles on their faces. Music was still playing from the Bluetooth speaker they had brought with them but hardly anyone was paying attention to it.

Raphael and Simon were talking with one of the groups near their spot, turns out Raphael was almost as popular as Magnus. Clary could see their hands, securely clasped together, fingers intertwined even when her oldest friend was talking rather animatedly.

And then there were also Jace and Lydia, the two of them were walking slowly by the seaside, Jace tentatively brushing the blonde's arm every so often with his and she was playing nervously with her hair and giggling at something he was saying to her.

Tonight was supposed to be about friends, about them as a group but Clary could hardly blame them any of them for wanting to share this moment with the people they were in love it. Hell, even she was doing the same in her attempt not to be a third wheel for the others.

When the group came to the beach, they were all excitedly chatting with each other, even Clary and Jace were acting like their old silly selves. But as they finished their snacks and the wine from the bottles they had brought with them had ended, the group slowly started fragmenting into couples.

"You should have talked to Jace not to invite Lydia tonight." - Izzy said as Clary's gaze was still directed at her blonde brother.

"What?" - Clary asked surprized, sure she didn't expect Jace to be that smitten with someone else so soon after their break up but she was happy he had moved on. It gave her a sliver of hope that perhaps she could too and what better moment than the Night of Saint Joan.

"Nno, no. I assure you, Izzy, I am actually happy for him." - Clary said with a sincere smile.

"Then why do you look like a kicked puppy _mi amor_?" - Izzy's pet names for Clary were always sweet but it made the red head's heartbeat like a Colibri's wings.

"Izzy, Jace and I... we broke up because we both could feel that the thing between us wasn't going anywhere. At first, it seemed like the real deal, you know, true love and all that but I was such a fool Iz. I started going out with Jace because I was attracted to him but that attraction vanished almost immediately. The truth is, I... I was already in love with another person. Someone I was scared to admit how much I like them." - Clary began speaking and the sadness in her voice slowly transformed into a loopy smile, just like the ones that Magnus had every time he spoke about Alec.

"I tried making my relationship with Jace work, but ultimately he saw it as well. He was pretty angry at first and rightly so but... I just couldn't admit my true feelings even to myself yet. He had started falling for me but after one particularly big argument one night, he could see that he never really stood a chance at winning that part of my heart that was already taken." - Clary said, now drawing mindlessly lines in the sand between them.

"Clary, it's okay to figure things out at your own pace. Sure, it sucks that he was starting to fall for you but at least you didn't wait anymore and I'm sure you never cheated on him." - Izzy said and Clary was beginning to feel guilty.

"But I wanted to Izzy, every time I saw them... I would start thinking about how otherworldly beautiful they were and how much I wanted to feel how soft their lips are... and how strong their hands could hold me... each day we passed each other at the Institute, I'd feel a small jolt of electricity run through me as I looked into their warm eyes." - Clary spoke with a dreamy smile on her face but quickly regretted it when she saw Isabelle's look on her face.

"So, the person you like is another Shadowhunter? And from our Institute?" - Izzy asked looking both intrigued and hurt at the same time.

"Oh God, it's not Raj is it? I mean, it's okay if he is but believe me, Jace is a much more pleasant company than he is. Or Marcus? You definitely seem to have a thing for blondes. Anyway, did you tell them? The other person, how you felt about them?" - Izzy was talking super quickly but this time Clary's shock made her laugh out loud, interrupting the other girl's ramblings.

"Nope, it's neither of them, don't worry." - Clary said as she regained her speech abilities.

"And to answer your other question, no, I never told them about my feelings. They are with someone else anyway and I'm really not in the mood for having my heartbroken right now." - Clary said and Izzy never wanted more to just hold her in her arms.

_Is there really anyone as stupid as to turn down Clary away?_ \- Isabelle asked herself in her mind. She couldn't comprehend such a scenario but then again... she had been dreaming of kissing that girl and holding her hand while on missions basically since she saw her at Pandemonium. 

“Hey, Clary…” – Izzy said as she gently urged the red head’s chin up to look at her. With her peripheral vision, Clary could see Jace and Lydia approaching the group once again.

“I won’t push you to tell me who it is but whenever you want to tell me, I will be here.” – Izzy said with a charming smile and leaned in to give Clary a kiss, it was supposed to be on the cheek but Clary thought Izzy was going for a hug so she straightened her face a bit and Izzy’s lips ended just mere millimeters off of Clary’s lips.

Both girls began laughing somewhat awkwardly, it wasn’t the first time that had happened but this time Clary blushed like a strawberry.

“Hey, look, we can see the constellation Hercules. Did you know that it took 12 Years For Hercules To Complete The “Twelve Labours” – Clary started rambling, she loved the night sky, she remembers her mom telling her all those legends behind the stars and as a kid she used to draw the heroes from the stories. Naturally, Isabelle was well aware of Clary’s love of the stars, they had spent many nights in the garden of the Institute when Clary’s mom died, just the two of them, looking at the stars and listening to Clary speak without tears streaming down her beautiful face.

“Come here, _chiquitina_.” – Izzy said as she sat back and put her hands on the sand behind her to support herself, the sand was cold already and they were lucky Izzy had packed a couple of towels in her bag. Momentarily Clary laid her head on Izzy’s lap and began rambling about Hercules, there was nothing more comfortable than the younger Lightwood’s lap, her thighs were firm from all those years of training but she also soft, her entire body was the perfect balance of strong muscles and gentle dips and curves. 

“You know, you are just a couple of months older than me, right?” – Clary said and they both laughed.

Alec and Magnus had witnessed the whole thing, Izzy and Clary had moved a bit away but they weren’t that far as to not see them.

“I can’t believe Isabelle is _that_ oblivious, I thought you were the virgin one.” – Magnus said as he saw Clary looking at Izzy and blushing.

“Hey!” – Alec said with fake indignance.

“I love you darling, but your sister needs glasses if she can’t see how biscuit looks at her. Why hasn’t she done anything about that, she won’t stop talking about how cute and how smart Clary was the last time she came to dinner.” – Magnus said and Alec’s eyes looked at him curiously, this man was one of the strongest wizards in the world and yet he was a sucker for romantic stories.

“I don’t know Mags, honestly, I tried talking to her a few months ago but she said that Clary was with Jace and she would never get between them. Izzy is… she is the best Shadowhunter I know, well she and Jace, and she is incredibly driven, she has no problem flirting her way in a club or seducing a bunch of demons with her dance moves but when it comes to real feelings… she’s just as scared as I was.” – Alec said, his eyes never straying from his sister thinking of all the times he had caught Izzy crying in her room late at night, especially after a day when Jace and Clary were insufferably couple-y around each other. 

“Isabelle is a strong woman, Alec but she can’t continue torturing herself like that. You should talk to her again, now that Clary and your brother are no longer together maybe…” – Magnus had started talking but Alec interrupted him confused.

“Wait, what? Since when?” – He asked suddenly realizing the cause of Jace’s bad mood recently.

“Alec, my darling you really need to start paying attention to the rumors in the Institute, some even turn out to be true. Clary herself told me a couple of weeks ago.” – Magnus explained.

“Huh, that actually explains some things. Jace had been like a thunder cloud lately and he has been avoiding Izzy the whole time!” – Alec said and realized the problem.

It wasn’t that Jace was angry at Izzy, she had done nothing to deserve his anger and she was his sister, he could never hate his sister. Jace was hurt and part of him, the larger part of him was jealous of the way Clary’s eyes lit up each time she spoke about Izzy, of the way Clary subconsciously sought Izzy’s touch when they were together, especially after they discovered that they weren’t related. Clary was supposed to look at him like that, but things between them were only getting more and more awkward with each day that passed.

Alec and Magnus saw the nervous laughter both girls let out as they almost kissed and the way the pair was so relaxed with having each other that close. When Clary lied down on Izzy’s lap, Magnus chuckled but Alec saw Jace and Lydia walking closer to them and Lydia seemed to be pulling Jace in the opposite direction with an exasperated and flustered expression on her face. She liked Jace and for a moment Alec even thought that perhaps now that he wasn’t in a relationship with Clary he’d be interested in her as well, it was Jace that had invited her to join them after all. Now, it seemed that he had wanted to make Clary jealous or something using Lydia as an unwilling accomplice, he made a mental note to have a talk with his parabatai. It was one thing to be a player and completely another to be an ass with the women.

“Oh shit, that’s not good.” – The oldest Lightwood said and jumped up from his seat, he didn’t want to see his little sister kicking his parabatai’s ass outside the Institute’s gym. Alec had discovered Clary’s feelings for his sister after he caught them training one night, both girls had been flirting shamelessly with each other, complimenting the other’s form or just offhandedly mentioning how good that top was on the other… it had made him backtrack in his steps and think seriously about putting bells on his shoes for the next time he’d need to come to the Institute late at night to return the weapons he had from their earlier mission. 

“Now I get why you always moaned in your sleep after a training session with Izzy.” – Jace said directed at Clary who quickly jumped up from her position and moved away from Isabelle as if her skin had burned her.

“Jace! Shut up, bro.” – Alec warned and stood up from where he was snuggled in Magnus’ arms.

Clary’s pupils widening almost comically. She rarely prayed in her life, she wasn’t a huge believer either that prayers worked but at this moment her mind was filled with only 4 words directed to all the deities that existed “Earth swallow me now!”, the panic she was feeling slowly making its way up to her blushing face.

“What? It’s the truth, I’m sure Izzy doesn’t mind knowing how many times Clary mumbled her name while we were together.” – Jace tried to argue.

“Wait, wha… Clary…?” – Isabelle mumbled under her nose, for her nobody around them mattered, only Clary’s panicked expression. Suddenly hope began spreading through Izzy’s body and she wanted to hear Clary confirm that awkward truth but another, stronger, sensation overcame her. She was thinking of how many ways she can kick Jace’s ass for exposing Clary like that. In any way, if what Jace had said was true, and it hopefully was judging from Clary’s panicked and embarrassed reaction, he had no right exposing her like that. Especially in front of all their friends. And in case it wasn’t true, the fact that Jace had lied so unceremoniously and put Clary in such uncomfortable position made Izzy’s blood boil.

“You never looked at me the way you look at her, Clary.” – Jace said again and Alec walked up to him, grabbing him by the back of his neck and forcefully dragging him away.

“Jace, I think you should take a walk!” – Izzy got up to her feet and took a step toward her brother, pushing him backward but he returned to his previous position once again, their gazes connected and Izzy could see the rage in Jace’s mismatched eyes. The space between the two siblings was almost nonexistent, even if Izzy was a bit shorter than him, she stood her ground with all her might and even though he was hurt, there was s voice deep inside his mind that reminded him that no one had the fault here. Least of all Izzy that didn’t even know what had just happened and come on it was Izzy he was standing against, his sister that had risked her life for him countless times because that’s what siblings do for each other. 

“Jace!” – Alec yelled again and sent Izzy a worried gaze before he took their brother away from them before he could add more fuel to this already uncomfortable silence.

As Alec was dragging Jace aside, Izzy and Clary could hear Alec asking him what the hell was he thinking with that asshat move he just pulled.

Raphael, Simon, Lydia, and Magnus watched carefully the scene from a safe distance, neither had moved from their spots next to the fire but they could all see Clary sitting paralyzed on the sand. A graveyard silence enveloped them all and after Isabelle was sure that her brothers were far enough, she walked closer to Clary once more.

“Alright, kids, that’s enough of a spectacle for tonight. Give them some privacy.” – Magnus said and waved his hand in the air, making a thick mist appear out of nowhere and cover the beach, Clary and Izzy were not visible anymore from the distance the group was standing.

“Magnus you ruined all the fun, I was just getting ready to record it.” – Raphael said and Simon elbowed him sharply.

“Raphael, I love you like a son but don´t make me remind you of the time you and Camille were messing around. What we just see is a PG13 compare to your dramas.” – Magnus said with a smirk on his face and Raphael smug expression fell, Simon, laughed loudly though. The way Magnus had to put Raphael in his place always made the boy laugh, indeed it was like watching a kid getting scolded by his parent.

Clary was still sitting on the towel sprawled on the cold sand, she had hugged her knees close to her chest and small droplets of water cascaded down her eyes. This was not how she imagined tonight going.

“Clary.” – Izzy said softly as she approached her, the mist around them was making the curls of her hair even more noticeable.

“Clary about what Jace said…” – Izzy started as she sat down by the redhead but Clary interrupted her.

“I am so sorry Isabelle, that was extremely inappropriate, I am so sorry…” – She began talking but Izzy stopped her by taking her cheeks in her hands.

“Was it true?” – Izzy asked in a low, shaky voice but Clary could barely look at her now so embarrassed and afraid that Izzy will reject her o worse, tell her she didn’t want to see her anymore.

Izzy had been with Meliorn for almost as long as she had been with Jace, Clary was sure that Izzy liked the Seelie, the redhead had seen them together when they paired on missions and she remembers the pain radiating from Izzy’s eyes when she had to break it off with him.

“Clary, is it true?” – Izzy asked again, her heath was thumping like wild horses stampeding through a grass field.

Clary was unable to talk now, her throat hurt and she felt like she could barely breathe, she didn’t want to lose her best friend, damn it, she would kill Jace if she lost Izzy because of something she couldn’t even control.

Clary’s answer was a slow nod with the head, she couldn’t lie to Izzy, her dreams had betrayed her many times apparently but she didn’t expect Jace to yell that in front of everyone.

Not even a heartbeat after the nod, Clary felt soft lips touching hers. It took her a moment to understand what was happening, to get her out of her daze but she quickly returned the kiss as well. Izzy’s lips moved slowly, she gave Clary an out if she wanted it but everything inside her screamed when she felt the redhead responding in kind. With her hands already on Clary’s cheeks, she pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, slowly getting bolder in her explorations, her tongue sneaking into Clary’s mouth ever so slowly, her teeth tugging gently on Clary’s lower lip… Clary’s hands pulling her closer by the waist…

This was endless times better than all of Clary’s fantasies, she could feel Izzy’s heart beating quickly, mirroring her own and pulled Izzy even closer and sending them both fully to the ground now, Isabelle completely on top of Clary and their lips still connected.

“You are so beautiful.” – Clary managed to say when they finally parted from the kiss.

Izzy blushed furiously now, she never thought she’d actually hear Clary say that, not when lying under her, not when they could barely catch their breaths from kissing like teenagers.

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed Clary.” – Izzy said when she regained her voice.

“How could you think I wasn’t interested in you? I have wanted to kiss you since the first time I saw you, I like you, Clary Fray, no scratch that, I love you.” – Izzy whispered against her lips and kissed her again.

Clary’s eyes were burning with newly appeared tears but this time a big smile made its way on her face.

“I love you too Izzy.” – She said between kisses but suddenly broke the kiss and moved away.

“What about Meliorn though? Aren’t you with him?” – Clary asked suddenly getting self-conscious.

“Clary, Meliorn and I aren’t together, Seelies are not exactly a monogamy relationship type of beings. Sure, he was fun to mess around with a bit but the reason why I liked him was because I knew I would never be serious with him. You know about the ban to all shadowhunters to date downworlders right? Well, even though Magnus and Alec are the exception of this rule, that was one of the reasons I always used to mess with downworlders so I could have an excuse ready when I was no longer interested.” – Izzy said and now she was the one afraid to look into Clary’s eyes, so she just kept her gaze pointed at her twitching hands.

“It’s not a good thing, I know, but I needed a distraction from seeing you and Jace together. I was so jealous and upset that I couldn’t be happy for my brother just like I was completely happy about Alec…” – Izzy continued talking.

“Clary, you are the only one I want to be with.” – She said and finally looked at Clary, seeing the other girl look at her with nothing but love in her eyes.

“We are not saints Izzy, even if we descend from angels, we’re still just human.” – Clary said and pulled Isabelle to her once more.

The night had definitely not gone according to nobody’s plan but for Izzy and Clary it turned out even better. The two lost themselves in each other’s kisses and when the mist Magnus had created cleared out, the pair was nowhere to be seen.

Alec’s phone buzzed with a text.

_Hey big bro, don’t wait up for us, see you tomorrow for brunch at Magnus’._

A small proud smile appeared on Alec’s face.

“I take it Izzy is having a _good time_?” – Magnus asked coyly and Alec scrunched up his face.

“I love you but don’t ever use _good time_ and Izzy’s name in the same sentence, please.” – Alec said and kissed his boyfriend.

Typing a quick reply to Izzy, Alec and Magnus joined the rest of the group with now much calmer Jace by their side.

Izzy’s phone chimed as well but she was so distracted by Clary’s naked form beneath her that she wouldn’t even see her brother’s reply until later that day… much later…

_See you tomorrow sis, I am glad you got the girl by the way *winky face* (just NEVER tell me the details). For what is worth, Jace is sorry he hurt you, both of you and he said he’ll make sure to make it up to you._

**Author's Note:**

> Izzy is an amazing bilingual in my mind (not sure about canon) and she loves using Spanish nicknames with Clary so we have: 
> 
> preciosa - literally "precious" but it's usually it's used more for someone (or something) "very very beautiful"
> 
> chiquitina - literally "little one"
> 
> mi amor - my love (it's not uncommon to call that a very close female friend)


End file.
